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Guys I didn't forget your request, just was collecting good questions to post.

So here are some inequality and absolute value questions from my collection. Not every problem below is hard, but there are a few, which are quite tricky. Please provide your explanations along with the answers.

I know this is not correct and carries the assumption that y is an integer which is not the case here.

If y indeed were an integer in the question, do you think the above approach had any problems ? I am a little confused because every inequality problem appears to have a different method for solving it!

Thanks

This approach is not correct not because we are not told that y is an integer, but because you can not add inequalities like you did.

3(x^2 -4) = y - 2 OR 3(4-x^2) = y - 2, in fact these equation are derived from one and from them only one is right. It's not that we have 3(x^2 -4) = y - 2 AND 3(4-x^2) = y - 2 and we are asked to solve fro unknowns. If it were then your solution would be right.

Bunuel, you are correct. The key is understanding that the two equations are an 'OR' (either one is true depending on whether x^2-4 is positive or negative) and not an 'AND' (both are correct).

You mentioned that inequalities cannot be added 'the way' I did. I believe you are not saying that we cannot add inequalities. I saw an interesting discussion here - > http://www.beatthegmat.com/combining-in ... 21610.html (Sorry for the cross posting, but this may be of use to someone confused like me!)

+1 from me.

cheers

Sure when I said that you can not add this way I meant: in this case. _________________

Bunuel, thanks for the questions. Please provide the OA's too. It would be great if you can provide them soon. I am having my GMAT this week, so kinda tensed and impatient. Also, I am yet to give my MGMAT CAT's, so tell me whether should I solve the questions on the forum because if the questions are from the MGMAT CAT's or Gmat Prep then it may overestimate my result. I would appreciate your response. Thanks once again.

These questions are from various sources. Couple of questions might be from MGMAT CAT or Gmat Prep, but not more than that.

I'll provide OA in a day or two, after discussions. Tell me if you want the answers for the specific questions earlier than that and I'll mail you. _________________

Question stem : Note: Since the equations is symmetrical, there will only be two distinct cases. However, for the sake of explanation, I have illustrated all 4.(a) When both x and y are greater than - 2 ; x + 2 = y + 2 ; x = y(b) When both x and y are less than - 2 ; - x - 2 = - y - 2 ; x = y(c) When x is less than -2 and y is greater than -2 ; - x - 2 = y + 2 ; x + y = - 4(d) When x is greater than -2 and y is less than -2 ; x + 2 = - y - 2 ; x + y = - 4

St. (1) : xy < 0This implies that one is negative and the other is positive. Therefore, in order for xy to be less than 0, x cannot be equal to y. Thus in order to satisfy the question stem, it can only be cases (c) and (d). Thus Sufficient.

St. (2) : x > 2 ; y < 2Again, this implies that x and y cannot be equal. Thus, in order to satisfy the question stem it can only be cases (c) and (d).Thus Sufficient.

\(y*(x^2-6x+9)=0\) --> \(y*(x-3)^2=0\). Note here that we CAN NOT reduce this expression by \(y\), as some of you did. Remember we are asked to determine the value of \(xy\), and when reducing by \(y\) you are assuming that \(y\) doesn't equal to \(0\). We don't know that.

Next: we can conclude that either \(x=3\) or/and \(y=0\). Which means that \(xy\) equals to 0, when y=0 and x any value (including 3), OR \(xy=3*y\) when y is not equal to zero, and x=3.

(1) \(y-x=3\). If y is not 0, x must be 3 and y-x to be 3, y must be 6. In this case \(xy=18\). But if y=0 then x=-3 and \(xy=0\). Two possible scenarios. Not sufficient.

(2) \(x^3<0\). x is negative, hence x is not equals to 3, hence y must be 0. So, xy=0. Sufficient.

Answer: B.

This one was quite tricky and was solved incorrectly by all of you.

Never reduce equation by variable (or expression with variable), if you are not certain that variable (or expression with variable) doesn't equal to zero. We can not divide by zero.

Never multiply (or reduce) inequality by variable (or expression with variable) if you don't know the sign of it or are not certain that variable (or expression with variable) doesn't equal to zero.

(1) 2x-2y=1. Well this one is clearly insufficient. You can do it with number plugging OR consider the following: x and y both positive means that point (x,y) is in the I quadrant. 2x-2y=1 --> y=x-1/2, we know it's an equation of a line and basically question asks whether this line (all (x,y) points of this line) is only in I quadrant. It's just not possible. Not sufficient.

(2) x/y>1 --> x and y have the same sign. But we don't know whether they are both positive or both negative. Not sufficient.

(1)+(2) Again it can be done with different approaches. You should just find the one which is the less time-consuming and comfortable for you personally.

\(\frac{x}{y}>1\) does not mean that \(x>y\). If both x and y are positive, then \(x>y\), BUT if both are negative, then \(x<y\).

From (2) \(\frac{x}{y}>1\), we can only deduce that x and y have the same sigh (either both positive or both negative).

When we consider two statement together:

From (1): \(2x-2y=1\) --> \(x=y+\frac{1}{2}\)

From (2): \(\frac{x}{y}>1\) --> \(\frac{x}{y}-1>0\) --> \(\frac{x-y}{y}>0\) --> substitute \(x\) from (1) --> \(\frac{y+\frac{1}{2}-y}{y}>0\)--> \(\frac{1}{2y}>0\) (we can drop 2 as it won't affect anything here and write as I wrote \(\frac{1}{y}>0\), but basically it's the same) --> \(\frac{1}{2y}>0\) means \(y\) is positive, and from (2) we know that if y is positive x must also be positive.

OR: as \(y\) is positive and as from (1) \(x=y+\frac{1}{2}\), \(x=positive+\frac{1}{2}=positive\), hence \(x\) is positive too.

(1) 2x-2y=1. Well this one is clearly insufficient. You can do it with number plugging OR consider the following: x and y both positive means that point (x,y) is in the I quadrant. 2x-2y=1 --> y=x-1/2, we know it's an equation of a line and basically question asks whether this line (all (x,y) points of this line) is only in I quadrant. It's just not possible. Not sufficient.

(2) x/y>1 --> x and y have the same sign. But we don't know whether they are both positive or both negative. Not sufficient.

In the first statement from 2x-2y=1 --> we can sat x-y=1/2

So it cud be 8.5-8 or 0.25 - (-0.25)HOw can we say both x and y are positive?

similarily statement 2

x/y>1=>x>y

how can we be sure x and y have the same signwe can have 8>7or8>-8

Bunel can you pls xplain..or am i missing sumtin fundamental?

For (1) we are not saying that x and y are positive, we saying that if they were both positive then it would mean that the line y=x-1/2 is only in I quadrant, which is not possible. So from (1) we cannot say that x and y are both positive.

Or consider following numbers: x=2, y=1.5 and x=-2, y=-2.5.

For (2). First of all you can not multiply x/y>1 by y and write x>y, since you don't know the sign of y: if it's positive then x>y but if it's negative then when multiplying by negative number you should flip the sing of the inequality and write x<y. Never multiply or divide inequality by a variable (or by an expression with variable) unless you are sure of its sign since you do not know whether you must flip the sign of the inequality.

Next, since x/y>1 then x/y>0, which means that x and y are either both positive or both negative, hence they have the same sign.

A. x+2=y+2 --> x=y. This will occur if and only x and y are both >= than -2 OR both <= than -2. In that case x=y. Which means that their product will always be positive or zero when x=y=0.B. x+2=-y-2 --> x+y=-4. This will occur when either x or y is less then -2 and the other is more than -2.

When we have scenario A, xy will be nonnegative only. Hence if xy is negative we have scenario B and x+y=-4. Also note that vise-versa is not right. Meaning that we can have scenario B and xy may be positive as well as negative.

(1) xy<0 --> We have scenario B, hence x+y=-4. Sufficient.

(2) x>2 and y<2, x is not equal to y, we don't have scenario A, hence we have scenario B, hence x+y=-4. Sufficient.

Answer: D.

Hi Bunuel,

I am getting E and just cannot understand D. Please see my solution below - I used number picking.

A. xy<0, x=+ and y=- For this condition choosing different values of x and y (x=2,y=-6: x=3, y=-7)satisfies the given condition in modulus. Hence x=y can be different valueor x=- and y=+ - This condition doesn't satisfy the modulus condiotion

B- x>2 and y<2 - As per the above stmt 1 - condition 1, there can be various values for x and y, hence x+y is different.

Hence E. I know I am going wrong some where, please help.

thanksjay

In your example, both pairs give the same value for x+y: 2-6=-4 and 3-7=-4.

\(y*(x^2-6x+9)=0\) --> \(y*(x-3)^2=0\). Note here that we CAN NOT reduce this expression by \(y\), as some of you did. Remember we are asked to determine the value of \(xy\), and when reducing by \(y\) you are assuming that \(y\) doesn't equal to \(0\). We don't know that.

Next: we can conclude that either \(x=3\) or/and \(y=0\). Which means that \(xy\) equals to 0, when y=0 and x any value (including 3), OR \(xy=3*y\) when y is not equal to zero, and x=3.

(1) \(y-x=3\). If y is not 0, x must be 3 and y-x to be 3, y must be 6. In this case \(xy=18\). But if y=0 then x=-3 and \(xy=0\). Two possible scenarios. Not sufficient.

OR:

\(y-x=3\) --> \(x=y-3\) --> \(y*(x-3)^2=y*(y-3-3)^2=y(y-6)^2=0\) --> either \(y=0\) or \(y=6\) --> if \(y=0\), then \(x=-3\) and \(xy=0\) \(or\) if \(y=6\), then \(x=3\) and \(xy=18\). Two different answers. Not sufficient.

(2) \(x^3<0\). x is negative, hence x is not equals to 3, hence y must be 0. So, xy=0. Sufficient.

Answer: B.

The answer to this one is C right? B alone is not sufficient. _________________

Bunuel I have very clear the 1 statement but not so much the secon one : 1/|n|< n this is true only for negative value. So we could have i. e. : -1 or -6 so insuff but how we you arrive to this conclusion:

Given: 1/|n| > n. Now, 1/|n| is always positive (because of the absolute value in the denominator), so if n is negative then this inequality will always hold true: 1/|n|=positive>n=negative.